PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar noted yesterday that investigations into the stolen guns and ammunition at the San Fernando Municipal Police Station indicated that firearms were being taken out of the station and sold for months.
Persad- Bissessar was speaking to journalists following the sod-turning ceremony for the Hilton Garden Inn hotel at South Park in San Fernando.
Asked how she thought the investigation was progressing with the arrest of ten people, following the death of acting corporal Anuska Eversley at the San Fernando station and the theft of a quantity of firearms and ammunition from the station’s strongroom, the Prime Minister commended the efforts by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS).
‘I think the TTPS and the Commissioner of Police are doing a fantastic job. They work very quickly,’ she added.
She said based on information uncovered in the investigation, head of the municipal police Surrendra Sagramsingh had been sent on leave.
‘They have removed the head of the organisation, municipal police, Mr Sagramsingh, I think he was, because that has not been happening today.
‘We discovered it today, on that day. I think one of the officers in an interview talked about over eight months, about eight months that has been going on. So, there has not been proper supervision of what is happening in the municipal police,’ she continued.
On Tuesday, Sagramsingh, who had headed the municipal police for six years, confirmed to the Express that he had been sent on ‘administrative leave’ for the course of the investigation.
Responding to comments by president of the Estate Police Association (EPA) Deryck Richardson that her distinction between the Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service (TTMPS) and the TTPS was insulting and diminished the role of municipal police, she said: ‘First of all, it was not my intention to insult anyone.
‘Coming through the social media and otherwise, there was a sort of disconnect between the municipal and the TTPS. So, that was just to clarify that.’
However, she said she stood by ‘everything else’ she said in her statement.
‘I’m sorry he feels offended. Unfortunately, we can’t please everybody every single day of my life,’ she added.
